Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• As Christians we believe the whole Bible is God inspired
• We have come to maybe a difficult part of the Bible
• In some ways chapter 8 is about the triumph of evil
• It seems to prosper but God will bring it to an end
• Example of Concentration Camps in Korea
• Why are we suffering?
• Seems to speak of evil humans triumphing
• Kingdom of the Medes and the Persians (the ram)
• The Greek Empire (the goat)
• The Four Commanders
• The one who rose and who wanted to impose Greek culture on all, especially the Jews
• Does this passage just speak of this man or another man who will rise up in the end times?
• There will be an end to evil
• Example of terrible evil
• These did not prevail - their wickedness ended
• God often judges evil
• Overview:
• The Truth of God's word
• How we ought to respond to evil?
• How we ought to respond

The Truth of God's word

• Chapters 1-6: King Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius
• Chapters 7 & 8 are going backwards - back to the time of Belshazzar
• Not in chronological order
• Another vision in the 3rd year of the reign of King Belshazzar
• He had a vision of Shushan by the River Ulai - 150 miles from where he was
• It was as if God was saying that things would shift
• This was prophetic
• A ram with two horns (v3)
• cf v20
• The united kingdom of the Medes and the Persians - 550BC
• A sign for the world to watch out
• In 539BC Babylon was taken and Belshazzar died
• The Persians became more prominent - thus it is known as the Persian empire
• The kingdom lasted for 200 years and expanded
• A goat with four horns (v5)
• cf v21-22
• The kingdom of Greece
• 1st King - Alexander the Great
• The Medes and Persians were conquered in a decisive victory
• He died of an illness aged 33
• His kingdom was split into 4 but Israel was in the middle
• Daniel was given a vision by God
• He saw things that would happen 200 years into the future
• The angel Gabriel came and explained events to him
• Daniel wrote down history that was yet to occur
• A goat with a little horn (v9)
• A man who opposes God
• Antioch Ephiphanies
• Example of wickedness
• The passage seems to speak beyond Antioch Ephiphanies
• Daniel is speaking about the last days
• v12-13
• The 2300 days speak roughly of his 6 years in power - before he was struck down
• God is the Lord of all history and orders all events
• We are not robots
• God is not the author of evil but permits evil men to triumph
• He will bring them to an end

How we ought to respond to evil?

• Daniel was sick following the vision
• Sometimes God's people are troubled by visions
• Does this passage speak of the antichrist?
• v17 - the time of the end
• The end of the Greek Empire
• The last days - from the death of Christ to His return
• The end of the last days - the latter days (v23)
• v25 - he is cunning and exalts himself against God
• Jesus knew there would be other antichrists
• 11:31
• 2 Thess 2
• v23-25
• Is this not a picture of the antichrist?
• 2 Thess 2:3-4
• How should we respond?
• Don't listen to the wisdom of the world
• The Bible says evil will wax worse until the end
• Times of favour and persecution
• History is full of people who tried to wipe out others (especially the Jews) - who were antichrists
• We should continue, persevere and pray
• We stand upon the word of God - the answer is not with the world
• Be careful in this relavatistic world - Quote from John Lennox
• Hope in God
• Christ will come
• Evil men will not prosper
• He will punish all evil
• Psalm 96 & 98